Sierra Leone’s Judo athlete Harrison Frederick disqualified from the 2020 Olympic Games

The Sierra Leonean Judo athlete, Frederick Harris has been disqualified from participating in the 2020 Olympics games, just hours before his fight against Azerbaijan’s Murad Fatiyev at the Nippon Budokan venue in Tokyo, Japan.

The athlete was disqualified from competing in the 81 kg fight after he weighed 84 kg before the start of the fight. The 36-year-old was supposed to be Sierra Leone’s first participant in the 2020 Olympic games, as he could have faced his Azerbaijan opponent in the elimination round of 32 after the duo were paired in pool D of the 81 kg category.

Frederick gained his Olympic qualification after he became the Best Loser at the African Championship held in Madagascar last year.  However, the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone has presented the issue to the National Sports Authority and the Ministry of Sports who are present in Japan. 

Moving forward, an investigation will be carried on the matter, the athlete will be immediately removed from the games village and will be also returned home earlier than scheduled.